PRESSLER CASE: Judge orders release of medical records

COLUMBIA CITY — Medical records were ordered to be released in a pending sex abuse case in Whitley County Circuit Court Monday.

Judge James Heuer said a guardian for an alleged victim in a sex abuse case can sign off the medical records. The girl’s mother is out of state and could not be located.

The alleged victim, a 17-year-old girl, is alleged to have had two children with the defendant, Dean Pressler, age 39.

Officially, Pressler’s attorney, Whitley County Public Defender Brad Voelz, filed a motion to squash the information, but he said he did so with cooperation of the prosecution, in order to access confidential medical records.

“We have subpoenaed the records regarding a 17-year-old child, the alleged victim,” said Whitley County Prosecutor Matt Rentschler. “The child was part of a DCS proceeding from the same court. It is not within the legal scope of the guardian to sign off, and we are trying to get a valid wavier to the health care professionals as to how to get this.”

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